"Agonized Labor" opens with a shocking news broadcast announcing the collapse of the Howell empire. Gilligan's natural reluctance to divulge the sad news to Mr. Howell has all the castaways joining in to try to make them feel better, with less than pleasing results. Mr. Howell leaves behind a suicide note and shuffles off into the jungle, wondering how to do away with himself as painlessly as possible. One bush yields the dreaded wasubi berry: "one succulent drop, your body's covered with hair, your teeth turn into fangs, your hands into claws, my mother-in-law must have had a batch of those!" It's Gilligan who ends up going over the cliff, before everyone attempts to teach the Howells how to make a living doing manual labor. The lazy wrap up is perhaps the weakest conceived for the entire series, but Jim Backus shines as usual.
3 Reviews
Gilligan sees the fall of the Howell Empire
Ralphkram12 December 2017
Warning: Spoilers
As noted previously, when the title of an episode is overly cute and contains a pun, it's usually a sign of the level of wit in the episode. This episode, though, squeaks by on the strength of the Howells being the protagonists, particularly the reliable Mr. Howell. The premise is pretty good, though standard, and there are a few entertaining moments here and there and some genuine laughs. On the debit side, being the typical stand-alone episode, there are problems with continuity, and a little Mrs. Howell goes a long way.
Gilligan and the Skipper learn in a broadcast that Howell Industries has collapsed overnight. Our lead once again is pegged to deliver the bad news, and, over the course of his not being able to tell the Howells, he tells the other castaways.
Do they tell him? No. They mill about as usual and wait for Gilligan to do their work for them.
The more fun scenes happen finally after he blurts out that the Howells are broke. Mr. Howell's faith that he can rebuild the empire from the 'petty cash' he has on the island is shaken by the threat of a government raid. He goes on a crying jag and tries to end it all. But he is too cowardly to eat the 'dreaded wasubi berry' or jump off a cliff, and is taken back to camp by the Skipper and Gilligan, who nearly takes the plunge in his place.
It's decided that the Howells have to learn a trade to survive in the workforce, since all they've known is how to be filthy rich. There are a series of mediocre scenes where the others try to teach them job skills with predictably disastrous results.
The best and most preposterous suggestion is for the pair to cozy up to the Wall Street crowd as household servants so they can get the latest skinny on the stock market. They take to the notion far too easily, but it does lead to an excellent scene where the pair show off their culinary talent. Mr. Howell dons a French mustache and accent to serve the others soup de jour and tossed salad (literally), and Mrs. Howell finishes them off with a shower of coconut milk.
In a lazy wrap-up, the pair are saved from taking their own plunge by another news bulletin. Seems the announcer just got his billionaires mixed- up.
Oops.
COCONOTES:
"Gilligan, you can wake up a man in the middle of the night and tell him he's rich, but you can't wake him up and tell him he's poor."
The Skipper goes overboard in selling Gilligan on how easy it is to deliver Mr. Howell the bad news. Would've have saved a lot of time if he had assumed the responsibility, the coward.
Like how rattled the Howells are by the Treasury Department.
Mrs. Howell takes an acting lesson from Ginger, forgetting she took the movie star's place as Cleopatra a season earlier.
Mr. Howell doesn't know how to cook in this one. He did all right for himself cooking for the men in St. Gilligan and the Dragon. Guess it comes and goes.
"Seaweed soup!"
Gilligan and the Skipper learn in a broadcast that Howell Industries has collapsed overnight. Our lead once again is pegged to deliver the bad news, and, over the course of his not being able to tell the Howells, he tells the other castaways.
Do they tell him? No. They mill about as usual and wait for Gilligan to do their work for them.
The more fun scenes happen finally after he blurts out that the Howells are broke. Mr. Howell's faith that he can rebuild the empire from the 'petty cash' he has on the island is shaken by the threat of a government raid. He goes on a crying jag and tries to end it all. But he is too cowardly to eat the 'dreaded wasubi berry' or jump off a cliff, and is taken back to camp by the Skipper and Gilligan, who nearly takes the plunge in his place.
It's decided that the Howells have to learn a trade to survive in the workforce, since all they've known is how to be filthy rich. There are a series of mediocre scenes where the others try to teach them job skills with predictably disastrous results.
The best and most preposterous suggestion is for the pair to cozy up to the Wall Street crowd as household servants so they can get the latest skinny on the stock market. They take to the notion far too easily, but it does lead to an excellent scene where the pair show off their culinary talent. Mr. Howell dons a French mustache and accent to serve the others soup de jour and tossed salad (literally), and Mrs. Howell finishes them off with a shower of coconut milk.
In a lazy wrap-up, the pair are saved from taking their own plunge by another news bulletin. Seems the announcer just got his billionaires mixed- up.
Oops.
COCONOTES:
"Gilligan, you can wake up a man in the middle of the night and tell him he's rich, but you can't wake him up and tell him he's poor."
The Skipper goes overboard in selling Gilligan on how easy it is to deliver Mr. Howell the bad news. Would've have saved a lot of time if he had assumed the responsibility, the coward.
Like how rattled the Howells are by the Treasury Department.
Mrs. Howell takes an acting lesson from Ginger, forgetting she took the movie star's place as Cleopatra a season earlier.
Mr. Howell doesn't know how to cook in this one. He did all right for himself cooking for the men in St. Gilligan and the Dragon. Guess it comes and goes.
"Seaweed soup!"
Please Don't Toss the Salad Anymore...
kmcelhaney00519 December 2013
Warning: Spoilers
The Skipper and Gilligan learn from a radio report that the Howell's are broke. After tying to keep the news from them, eventually the Howells find out and the world as they know it is crushed. The rest of the castaways take it upon themselves to teach the Howells some working skills, but after many failures Mr. and Mrs. Howell decide to end it all. But is that the end for the Howells? This is an exceptional episode which focuses on the Howells which means that the comic talents of Jim Backus and Natalie Schaffer are at the forefront.
Highlights include Gilligan trying to breathe really deep, another story about Skinny Mulligan, the Skipper trying to show Gilligan how to tell the Howells that they are broke, Mr. Howell marking out his new dining table, the Howells hiding their cash...temporarily, Mary Ann trying to console the Howells, the fish slapping Mr. Howell in the face, Mr. Howell looking for ways to end it all, Gilligan missing Mr. Howell and going over the cliff (a really nice bit of stunt work), the castaways teaching the Howells their trades, the Howells spectacular failure as domestic servants and the final fate of the Howells.
This is a very funny episode that just keeps building higher and higher in hilarity. Jim Backus simply owns this episode and the humor is nearly dead on perfect. One of the highlights of the season, no doubt about it.
Tidbits & Trivia
Highlights include Gilligan trying to breathe really deep, another story about Skinny Mulligan, the Skipper trying to show Gilligan how to tell the Howells that they are broke, Mr. Howell marking out his new dining table, the Howells hiding their cash...temporarily, Mary Ann trying to console the Howells, the fish slapping Mr. Howell in the face, Mr. Howell looking for ways to end it all, Gilligan missing Mr. Howell and going over the cliff (a really nice bit of stunt work), the castaways teaching the Howells their trades, the Howells spectacular failure as domestic servants and the final fate of the Howells.
This is a very funny episode that just keeps building higher and higher in hilarity. Jim Backus simply owns this episode and the humor is nearly dead on perfect. One of the highlights of the season, no doubt about it.
Tidbits & Trivia
- The homemade telescope makes a return appearance in the Skipper & Gilligan's hut. Interestingly enough, it does not appear to have it's front lens in place.
- We see the practice polo pony Mr. Howell uses for the first time...and the last time.
- There's oil near Gilligan's Island? Really? Well, maybe not.
- Mary Ann has an interesting "sailor" type outfit on when the Howells find out that they are broke.
- Apparently, the waterfall is fresh water. And after two episodes in the first season that focused on not having any fresh water...
- Ginger seems really excited to see Gilligan fishing.
- Mr. Howell's mustache is a real nice touch.
- So, where did the Howells get all the doilies for the dinner table. Of course, I could ask where they got all the lettuce for the salad as well.
- The final resolution occurs during the epilogue scene which is unusual for Gilligan's Island. The epilogue usually is a scene that comments on the resolution after it happens. Of course, how the radio announcer could for days on end get the wrong name is...well, I suppose expected on Gilligan's Island.
See also
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